Arizona weekly citizen., 1887-10-01
HORACE GREELEY.
Al INSTANCE WHERE HE DID NOT
 ADVISE TO "Go WEST."
Confidential Words from the Great Edi' tor-Prophesyins the Day Editorias and Literary Journalism Would Be Divorced from the Commercial

tor-Prophesying the Day Editorials
 and Literary JournaIisin Would Be
 Divorced from the Commercial.
 A number of years ago found myself 1T New York with a few dollars in my pocket, over which l was debating at the eros roads of indecision as to whether should invest it in aD attempt to got foothoid ID journalism on some Of the metropolitan napcrs. or go west, whither the star of in t.Iiecttal as well as material empire seemed to point the way.
 | had brought with me from my New England home a letter of introduction to Horace Greeley, given mo by a distinguished American poetess, to whom he had long beeo attached by the closest spiritual tie=- But SO much had l heard of the savage buuors with which one Isas liable to he confronted, should his presence happen to be i'll timed, that felt like one who carried a free pass to enter lions cage, and the certainty that the pass would carry me up when once delivered made it all the more uncomfortable in my pocket.
 On the afternoon when had determined to hazard the die l passed and repaSsed the ,ld Tribune building several times on the opposite side Co get my frsS journalistic wind. for I was scarcely more than bl,sh a-. shrinking New England boy, sbo felt constrained in the presence of ..rreat men to assume the attitude of toad looking up at St. Peter's.
 But I finally gathered myself up, and si-ltinr the door of The Tribune office, .ro.,seI the street with firm and steady tread. and soon had my card in the hands Of She office boy, who disappeared with 1t up .tairs. After few awful moments the Ina. returned and bade me follow. I ascended a couple Of fli-hts or rickety stairs and soon reached door which looked as though 1t rnight be an entrance to the tor left of a grist mill. I entered, and as the door closed behind me seated myself cautiously upon 6 diIapidate1 chair. for the abiding spirit into whose presence had entered turned not round nor made any sign of recognition.
 I shall never forget the picture of that editorial "den"-ii that can be called nlcture which is thrown together by the demons of disorder and chaos. Papers. uatnphlets. ucoks. unused copy, old hats and editorial b-ic-a-brac Of all descriptions were scattered about promiscuously. NIT Greeley's traditional gray coat was flung into the corner. with h.s slOuched hat rest ing tranquilly upon it. A generous profu- sion oi co5yeb5 and dust forced upon the visitors attention the conspicuous absence of broom. soap and toilet furniture. Verify here was the fitting abode of intellectual Rattlebones-the disputed realm Of Rhada' nlanthus and the Sun god
 The figure. whose brawuy back was turned toward me. was elevated on an antique chair. the limlrs of which seemed to be hold b. .aF Hf- fore him was a desk nearly as high as his shoulders. on the si.ie of which was a pot of ink. set in a pile Of lUills The paper on which be wrote was held at a vertical angie. With hi, grca: hand grnsped firmly around the quill, as though it were the lever that moved the word. he would thrust if into the ink pot. and then with a motion projsctei from level with the eye he yvould swing it across and back on the paper as though it were c jackplane, till the sheet was full Whoever saw Horace Gree ley svin. Eis quill n that weird aanctum witne.Sei species O., '.technique'' the like of which was never sen before in this world and will probably never b. sssn again
 When be had GnisLed the editorial upon which be was st work he scrambled the sheets together. scrubbed out the headline,
 
 .olpositors. Fortunately for me it hap oyned to be his las: office work for that iay. and now my time had come. After reading over the laiy's note, which recon nended me to his Endest consideration. es . youth of more promise than experience iu ;he literary world. he turned to me, and Setting his specs upon his spacious temples Iaii: Well, young man"
 TT..u-ssv..F I f. Ing. But that which came did not point Nestwarl, but pointed rather, as subsequent sNpeTience has since taught, to the best sense within me.
 Il am in a mood, he continued, in leference to my dear friend Mrs. W, to give you my very bast advice as to the adviSa hility of entering upon journalism as $ profession. If you have brains, conscience and independent creative, literary ability. my advice :o you Is to keep away from the newspapers aal wo-s your level best in Fa- tience til you can maze a point us a maga- zine writer You have then laid the corner stone of your record, and if you sustain t Inc way k certain for you to be rated for all you are worth in literature. A news paper k primarily a commercial enterprise, whose prOprieturs are engaged fin the trade of buying and Stliing news and of furnish ing the various members of society with the means Of making known 10 each OtheT their wants sni trade facilities Outside Of tLis it is incidentally literary reforms tory and educational enterprise; but thesa latter phases are bound ;o b larCsly sub ServieHt to tho commercial purposeo upon which the cuts -pr.se financially floats. IL is for this rc--gn that young men nIe not usually taken into n newspaper office, eI- cept they arl willing to begin as news Eathcrcrs. and .ilus make a thorough under standing of tls Commercial side of journal ism the ground work of their efficiency 10 will not probably be ln my time, young man. but t.le day is coming when the eii- torial and literary side cf a newspaper will b. divorced frUm the commercial Thai day is mol yet Rrriye,i, and tho man who alvertises c-lnlles, I.lis and oll junk in A great journal feels tha. the editor is morally responsible to Eim for his views on potatoes, economics and CiucatlOl. You arc young, and will probably live Co sce the day when disiinctively literary bureaus outside of the newspaper office will furnish the editorial Gai literary miscellany Of the coming great journal over responsible signatures. This will extricatc editorial integrity from commercial Irgs5urc and make the news paper a power for Gool which it finds it hard to b. at present"
 The fading twilight was struggling to reach the great blue eyes of the Tribune philosopher through inc dirt -be-rimel win dow as these confidential wUr,ls were being spoken in a suiTIt of somewhat touching kindneS5. 1 felt ths: had caught Horace Greeley in happy moments when his great beautiful s-li was ready Co come 0 the sur face. As Dc rose to look after his coat and hat. he concluloi:
 ''Now, young man. have given you my best advice. ari you must do as you think bs,t. if you want ;o try journalism, se down and tel Mr. Reid from me to take care Of you; but whatever yo1 do. try to make it pcy Co be a man, 6ood-byr'- Henry Appleton in New Yorl. Star.
 There is . rush of gold seekers 10 the coun- k--~ -, tk. Cs---rs. cg